9 JULY, 2011
CAIRNS BIRDING FESTIVAL 2011
August 19 to September 4, 2011.
August-September is an exciting time for Cairns bird watchers. This is when migrants begin coming back from the north; some, such as shorebirds after breeding in the northern hemisphere, and some, such as the Pied Pigeon, the Metallic Starling and other songbird migrants, to nest in Australia after spending the winter in New Guinea.
Spring birding action usually starts with the shorebirds' arrival, sometimes en masse, near the end of the second week of August. The arrival of the Pied Fruit Pigeon, usually in the last week of August or the first week of September, is keenly anticipated by the general public.
The festival programme will include -
▪ stationary bird watching, daily, at 1600,
- on the Esplanade boardwalk opposite the RSL at the start of Florence St, with John Seale.
▪ active bird walks
- along the Esplanade, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon, 0630 with Andy Anderson, meet opp the RSL, start of Florence St;
or meet with John Crowhurst, the roving Esplanade Ambassador, between 1000 and 1500;
- Botanic Gardens / Centenary Lakes, 0830, with John Seale, meet outside the Botanic Gardens Office on Collins Ave;- Cattana Wetlands, 0830, meet in car park off roundabout on Dunne St, between Yorkey's Knob & McGregor Rd roundabout;
- Yorkey's Knob, 0830, meet at the west end of Wattle St just past the entrance to the golf club;
- Redden Is, 0830, meet at the end of Cinderella St, Machan's Beach;
- Thompson Rd, Edmonton, 0830, meet near the boat ramp at the end of Thompson Rd (turn left at Edmonton lights);
- Yorkey's Knob, 0830, meet at the west end of Wattle St just past the entrance to the golf club;
- Redden Is, 0830, meet at the end of Cinderella St, Machan's Beach;
- Thompson Rd, Edmonton, 0830, meet near the boat ramp at the end of Thompson Rd (turn left at Edmonton lights);
- Lake Morris Rd, 0830, off Brinsmead Rd., meet at the carpark about 1km up L. Morris Rd;
- Crystal Cascades, 0830, meet in the carpark at the end of Redlynch Intake Rd
- Goldsborough Valley, 0830, t/o at Gordonvale toward the Tablelands and go about 5 k; the Goldsborough Valley Rd starts at the Mulgrave River bridge. Meet at the end of the bitumen on the Goldsboough Valley Rd;
- Centenary Lakes, 4th Sept only, 0630, with the bird club, Birding Cairns, on Greenslopes St, opp the phone booth.
- Crystal Cascades, 0830, meet in the carpark at the end of Redlynch Intake Rd
- Goldsborough Valley, 0830, t/o at Gordonvale toward the Tablelands and go about 5 k; the Goldsborough Valley Rd starts at the Mulgrave River bridge. Meet at the end of the bitumen on the Goldsboough Valley Rd;
- Centenary Lakes, 4th Sept only, 0630, with the bird club, Birding Cairns, on Greenslopes St, opp the phone booth.
▪ a Pied Pigeon Day, and competition, first to see new migrants
▪ a Beach Thicknee competition, first to see one during the festival
▪ evening entertainment - slides and lectures
▪ a bird photo competition, to be taken during the festival
▪ a bird art competition, to be done at any time during the year - $130 cash prizes ! !
▪ two Big Day bird races, a 24 hr one and a daylight-only one
▪ competition prizes
▪ a bird photo competition, to be taken during the festival
▪ a bird art competition, to be done at any time during the year - $130 cash prizes ! !
▪ two Big Day bird races, a 24 hr one and a daylight-only one
▪ competition prizes
Sponsors from past years -
PROGRAMME
Fri 19
0630-0800 Esplanade bird walk with Andy A, meet opp the RSL;
1600 Esplanade bird-watching with John S.
Sat 20
0630-0800 Esplanade bird walk with Andy A, meet opp the RSL;
0830 Gardens; Lakes bird walk with John S;
1600 Esplanade bird-watching with John S.
1800 Festival Cairns parade.
Sun 21
0630-1000 Cattana Wetlands bird walk with Andy A.;
1600 Esplanade bird-watching with John S.
Mon 22
0630-0800 Esplanade bird walk with Andy A, meet opp the RSL;
1600 Esplanade bird-watching with John S, opp the RSL.
Tue 23
0830 Gardens / Lakes bird walk with John S;
1600 Esplanade bird-watching with John S;
Wed 24
0830 Redden Is. bird walk with John S,
1600 Esplanade bird-watching with John S,
1930 Evening lecture, at Pine Creek Pictures, 247 McLeod St,
Bird art with John Grant, then Birds of Cuba.
Thu 25
0630-0800 Esplanade bird walk with Andy A, meet opp the RSL;
0830 Lake Morris Rd birding with John S,
1600 Esplanade bird-watching with John S.
Fri 26
0630-0800 Esplanade bird walk with Andy A, meet opp the RSL;
0830 Cattana Wetlands bird walk with John S,
1600 Esplanade bird-watching with John S.
Sat 27
0630-0800 Esplanade bird walk with Andy A, meet opp the RSL;
0830 Thompson Rd, Edmonton, bird walk with John S;
1600 Esplanade bird-watching with John S.
Sun 28
Sun 28
0630-0800 Esplanade bird walk with Andy A, meet opp the RSL;
0830 Gardens Lakes bird walk with John S;
1600 Esplanade bird-watching with John S,
1930 Evening lecture, at Pine Creek Pictures, 247 McLeod St,
China, with Andy A and John S.
Mon 29
0830 Gardens Lakes bird walk with John S;
1600 Esplanade bird-watching with John S,
1930 Evening lecture, at Pine Creek Pictures, 247 McLeod St,
China, with Andy A and John S.
Mon 29
0630-0800 Esplanade bird walk with Andy A, meet opp the RSL;
0830 Yorkey's Knob, bird walk with John S.
1600 Esplanade bird-watching with John S.
Tue 30
0830 Yorkey's Knob, bird walk with John S.
1600 Esplanade bird-watching with John S.
Tue 30
0830 Gardens Lakes bird walk with John S;
1600 Esplanade bird-watching with John S.
1600 Esplanade bird-watching with John S.
1930 Evening lecture, at Pine Creek Pictures, 247 McLeod St, DVD of Yorkey's Knob Garden Birds, then Birds of Britain with Darren Phillips.
Wed 31
0830 Crystal Cascades bird walk with John S;
Wed 31
0830 Crystal Cascades bird walk with John S;
1600 Esplanade bird-watching with John S.
Thu 1 Sep Pied Fruit Pigeon Day
Thu 1 Sep Pied Fruit Pigeon Day
0630-0800 Esplanade bird walk with Andy A, meet opp the RSL;
0830 Goldsborough Valley, bird walk with John S;
1600 Esplanade bird-watching with John S.
0830 Goldsborough Valley, bird walk with John S;
1600 Esplanade bird-watching with John S.
1930 Evening lecture, at Pine Creek Pictures, 247 McLeod St;
Birds of Daintree Village with Andrew and Trish of Red Mill House.
Fri 2
Birds of Daintree Village with Andrew and Trish of Red Mill House.
Fri 2
0630-0800 Esplanade bird walk with Andy A, meet opp the RSL;
1600 Esplanade bird-watching with John S.
Sat 3
1600 Esplanade bird-watching with John S.
Sat 3
Big Days. Two bird races, one 24 hrs midnight to midnight, the other from daylight to dark (or less if you prefer). See below for rules.
1600 Esplanade bird-watching with
Sun 4
Sun 4
0630-0930 The monthly Birding Cairns Lakes Walk. Meet on Greenslopes St, opp the phonebox.
1600 Esplanade bird-watching with prizes to -
▪ the first to have seen a Beach Thicknee during the festival;
▪ the first to have seen a newly arrived Pied Fruit Pigeon this season; ▪ Big Day winners.
Big Day Bird Races - rules
- teams of 2 or more must be registered with Birding Cairns (txt to 04 3140 3401) before the competition starts at 2400 hrs on Sept 2nd
- all species to be identified by sight or sound by a majority of team members and found on Cairns Area List
- 24 hr Bird Race teams may start and finish at any time during the calendar day
- short Bird Race teams must start and finish at any time after daylight and finish before dark
- all teams must keep in normal voice contact at all times
- driving teams may have a non-participating driver
- there shall be no advice whatsoever to team members from the public, including a non-participating driver, by sign, voice, mobile phone, etc.
- no artificial objects may be used to attract birds.
- teams must use surface travel only (walking, biking, driving) during the 24 hrs and count only the species within a day's surface travel of Cairns (e.g. Georgetown with a mostly new suite of species is less than 5 hrs drive the west of Cairns and and the Golden-shouldered Parrot at Artemis Station is about the same distance to the north)
- the competition is on the calendar day of Sept 3rd, i.e. it finishes at midnight Sept 3rd
- final numbers could be sent by text to 04 3140 3401 and/or completed entry forms to be presented to the judges before 1600 hrs at the Esplanade on 4th Sep
- any violation of these conditions will result in disqualification
- the judges decision will be final
Cairns Area List is grouped into families and includes all species recorded including accidentals. It is divided into non-passerines, which make about half the bird species in the world, and passerines or songbirds, which make up the other half.
These birds have been recorded within a day's surface travel of Cairns (418 species).
Bird Photo Competition - rules
MAJOR SPONSOR
MAJOR SPONSOR
Photos -
- to be taken within the Cairns Regional Council Area (which is approximately the coastal plain between the Bloomfield River and Eubanangee Swamp and about halfway up the coastal escarpment - N.B. does not include the Tablelands),
- must be of a native species,
- to be taken between Aug 19-Sep 3rd,
- emailed pictures should have a maximum width of 1000 pixels, to be sent to aabirdo@gmail.com by midnight 3rd Sep.
- Results will be announced at the Esplanade 4th Sep.
- 1st prize, $100 value lunch at Thala Lodge.
Bird Art Competition - rules
- to be done within the Cairns Regional Council Area (see above),
- must be of a native species,
- to be done between Aug 19-3rd Sep,
- to be brought to the Esplanade 4th Sep at 1600.
- Cashprizes ! $100 1st, $30 2nd.
Results will be announced at the Esplanade 4th Sep.
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Birding Festivals are held in many municipalities around the world and almost always encouraged by and organised under the umbrella of the local council with the aim of promoting the municipality and surrounding districts.
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Birding Festivals are held in many municipalities around the world and almost always encouraged by and organised under the umbrella of the local council with the aim of promoting the municipality and surrounding districts.
In the Cairns area it is estimated that 2000 to 3000 bird watchers visit each year and that 90% of these are serious birders from overseas who nearly all have Cairns as their primary Australian destination because nearly half of Australia's land birds can be seen within one day's travel of Cairns City.
It is anticipated that many non-birding partners of avid birders will take the opportunities provided by Festival Cairns to attend alternative events.
Some migration facts that participants may want to remember -
Wader arrivals - 2006, 10 August; 2009, 14th August; 2010 15th August.
PFPigeon arrivals - 2002, 26 August; 2004, 10 August; 2009 14th August; 2010, 15th August.
In this century however, as the climate has gradually warmed and more palm fruit is available into the winter, some PIPs have been over-wintering in the Cairns area. The local birders keep track of these small (4-10) over-wintering populations so new migrants are usually relatively easy to identify; but if the trend to a warmer climate continues, migrant individuals will get harder to isolate from a growing number of non-migrants.

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